The animals confiscated Thursday, most of them American bulldogs like this one, were described as sick, malnourished or wounded. Several were too weak to walk, Houston SPCA investigators said.

The animals confiscated Thursday, most of them American bulldogs like this one, were described as sick, malnourished or wounded. Several were too weak to walk, Houston SPCA investigators said.

Photo: KEVIN FUJII, CHRONICLE

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Dead dogs found at north Houston kennel

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Dozens of dead dogs, along with at least 50 other animals — mostly American bulldogs — were seized Thursday at a north Houston kennel.

The grisly discovery was made by a bulldog lover who was hoping to buy a puppy from Pickett's Pride American Bulldogs at 16119 North Freeway, said Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Deputy Christine Kendrick.

About 30 dogs and other animals were found dead on the property. Forty-five dogs and three cats — sick and starving — were taken to the Houston SPCA offices, where they will be treated and hopefully put up for adoption at some point, said SPCA spokeswoman Heidi Brasher.

The owners of Pickett's Pride could not be reached for comment. They did not respond to phone calls, e-mails or faxes.

Kendrick described the dead animals as "recently decaying" or "absolute skeletons."

Many of the living dogs were surrounded by feces, and they had little or no food and water, authorities said. The rescued animals were covered in ticks and fleas, and some had sores. Several dogs were too weak to walk, Brasher said.

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The adult dogs weighed about one-third of the standard 75 to 100 pounds for American bulldogs. Those dogs will be put on a "post-starvation" diet until they regain their strength, Brasher said.

SPCA cruelty investigators had been to the property before, but had never found conditions as severe as they did Thursday, Brasher said.

Authorities had visited the kennel about two years ago to investigate reports of poor conditions. Investigators had not visited the site since owners made improvements after the earlier complaints, Kendrick said.

Harris County Assistant District Attorney Belinda Smith, who toured the kennel, said the ammonia levels were so high in some areas that air quality tests were conducted.

"I'm still trying to digest the horrific scene I just observed," Smith said.

Kendrick said she hopes prosecutors will accept felony animal cruelty charges against the owners.

"In my opinion, this would be considered torture," Kendrick said.

Later Thursday, authorities learned that the owners had 20 more animals at another property, but the animals had been relocated by the time investigators arrived, Brasher said.

Attempts to contact several of the kennels' clients, who wrote "testimonials" on the business' Web site, were unsuccessful. Several of the customers' letters and e-mails praised the kennel and its owners.

Dan Linder, a dog trainer at Action Dogs USA in Navasota, said he was shocked to hear that authorities had found such a grisly scene. Linder has trained about a dozen bulldogs people had purchased at Pickett's Pride.

"They were pretty proud of those dogs at one time, so I don't know why they would neglect them," Linder said.

Bo Waston, a Midland breeder of American bulldogs, said he had done business with the owners of Pickett's Pride.

"In the past few years, I have heard from other breeders that there were terrible conditions. With as many animals as they had, it wouldn't be hard for them to be in poor condition. They had too many dogs," Watson said.

There is an American Bulldog Rescue group, but the organization's Web site does not show an organized rescue group in Texas.

The Pickett's Pride kennel, sandwiched between a gas station and a dental office, had overgrown vegetation and weeds, Brasher said. On prior visits, the owner would work with the agency to address problems, she said.

"It was tough for us. We definitely had to get those animals out today," Brasher said.